Aug. 31: Float On

The fun flows at this inaugural festival that combines tubing and live music Aug. 31

By Hannah Smothers

Published: July 28, 2014

Photo by Rock Cousteau

Having an outdoor music festival in Central Texas in August sounds like a totally nutty idea. But Float Fest founder Marcus Federman took the insane and made it possible. This music festival beats the heat by adding a three-hour float down the San Marcos River. After you’ve cooled down, head to the nearby festival grounds to see to performances by musical acts, including Bun B, Grouplove and Portugal. The Man. Federman, who says he’s been making annual summer excursions to float the river for 15 years, wanted to have a nature-meets-art experience that many find at the major Tennessee music festival Bonnaroo. “Floating the river is kind of like a rite of passage in Texas; it’s something that everybody does,” he says. “It just felt like the natural progression.” Bring a cooler of beverages and nosh on food from Black’s Barbecue and Amy’s Ice Creams. Plus, there will be plenty of shuttles bringing festivalgoers back and forth between the river and the concert venue, so no worries if you indulge a bit too much. It’s the perfect way to have a chill experience in the sweltering summer heat.